


So Move Me, Baby

by dream_vs_nightmare



Series: Stefonnie af [2]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Bonnie is v into Siren, F/M, Fluff without Plot, Stefan is v into her, but not really, it's just an excuse to write Stefonnie sweetness, okay there's some plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2019-12-26 12:12:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18282179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dream_vs_nightmare/pseuds/dream_vs_nightmare
Summary: Stefan, Bonnie, and a different kind of "not exactly." He starts checking in on her at random hours of the day/night after the whole Satan's Church incident. She'd say that she minds, but over the weeks she learns she kind of...doesn't.Expect multi-chapter one-shots of Stefonnie goodness as Bonnie uses Stefan for magical target-practice. And then maybe later, kissing practice.





	1. So Move Me, Baby

**Author's Note:**

> So basically, I've been wanting to write some fics based on/inspired by some Hozier songs lately and this one popped into my head after binge-watching a shit-ton of Siren episodes.
> 
> Bonnie is very into Siren. Stefan is very into her. This bby!witch and hipster!vamp may or may not fall in love with each other over months of streaming Hulu, swapping feelsy playlists, and practicing magic together (spoiler alert: they fall in love).
> 
> Loose continuation from "Vampire Supowerpowers", but can be read as standalone too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A series of interconnected one-shots in which Stefan is a hipster!vampire who likes indirectly quoting Hozier lyrics, Bonnie is a bby!witch who becomes obsessed with Siren, and they may or may not fall in love with each other after months of streaming Hulu shows, sharing feelsy playlists, and of course, practicing magic together.
> 
> A loose continuation of "Vampire Superpowers", but can be read as a standalone if ya want.

He drops in just to check on her after the Satan's church episode. Or rather, that's what he says. The visits are sporadic in nature over the weeks as September deepens into October, usually a few hours after school's let out. Now that Elena's back from her impromptu joyride with the other Salvatore brother, she says that it's because Stefan probably cares about her. Caroline rolls her eyes and quips that Bonnie's like magic, so of course he does. Bonnie can't quite tamp down her pleased smile at the jealous edge in Elena's voice. _Good._

Let Elena be sour for once. Not everything's about her, and it's high past time she realize that. Maybe it's time Bonnie does too.

Stefan points it out to her one night when she's sprawled out on her bed after suffering through some excruciating AP biology homework. The curtains billow in his wake as he ducks into the room from the open window. A low mist lies over town, softening the glow from people's homes and neighborhood street lamps. He's backlit by it all, image made all the more surreal by the cloud cover and coming storm.

"I'm not doing this for Elena, y'know." His voice is soft as the mist outside and the rain that’s sure to follow.

"I know." And that’s what throws her, what she can't quite figure out. Because everything's always been about Elena. Or about Caroline. But never her.

He reaches out to cup her cheek, cool fingers ghosting over her skin and quieting her thoughts. She still wonders though, wants to ask. _Why her?_

Hulu runs in the background, streaming a show about a sleepy little coastal town that gets overrun with sirens. And the mysterious new girl who might just be one of them, enchanting two of the locals with her piercing eyes and hypnotic song.

But she doesn’t ask. Not yet, not now. Truthfully, she likes having the attention. Worries that if she asks about it, asks about his reasoning, that he'll just give up and direct his sights elsewhere.

"You didn’t have to come." She's trying so hard not to care so much that he did, even as a smile creeps onto her lips and her fingers move to rest atop his.

"Mm, but here I am. Is it too Edward Cullen of me, coming in through the window?" The twin to her smile curves his mouth, single dimple beginning to show. She makes room for him on her bed and he toes off his shoes before he joins her.

"Eh. As long as you don't watch me sleep, we're cool." She turns her gaze back to the TV so she won't have to see the soft look in his eyes. It's too much sometimes…

Being chosen. She's not used to it yet.

He knows that, and he stays anyway. They watch the second episode of the show she's found, and then the third. Sometimes it's just really nice to binge-watch the hell out of a show like this and forget that her actual real life is somehow more terrifying than the thought of a bunch of flesh-eating sirens. By the time the fourth episode's started, they're bouncing around ideas about how the rest of the season's going to go.

"So if she doesn't find her sister, you think she's gonna go on a rampage and just eat half the town?" Stefan asks as the opening title plays, chin propped up in his hand.

"I’m not so sure. They only fight in the water, right? So someone would have to push her into the ocean or something." He'd made them popcorn while an especially long ad sequence played, and they munch on it now as they toss theories around.

"True, true. And what if Ben and Maddie try to jump in and save her? Would she recognize them underwater?"

She thinks hard on that one, deciding that she doesn't know. "Maybe it's kind of like when Emily was controlling me. I still _knew_ who everyone was and what was going on, y'know? But I couldn't voice it. I was just along for the ride, a prisoner in my own head."

"That must've been so awful for you, Bon." There's that soft look again as he strokes her hair, still damp and curly from the shower, and she tries not to shy away from it this time.

"A lot of it is. I just…try not to think about it." At times, her powers have been awe-inspiring. Incredible. Like she's Hermione on vacation from wizarding school or some shit like that. She's rendered both her best friends speechless with all of the things she can do and all the spells she's just discovering. But sometimes, having all that power at her fingertips and being unable to properly control it (like starting fires without meaning to, or breaking windows and shattering lightbulbs when she gets even the tiniest bit angry), well, it scares her.

She draws her knees up to her chest as Stefan leans in close, his forehead brushing hers. "What if I helped you? After school or something, maybe before your Grams gets home."

Bonnie breathes in the scent of him as she considers it. He smells like black coffee and leather jackets and autumn leaves. It calms her, almost even better than his vampire superpowers that'd been on display at the church.

She laughs a little at the thought of her Grams finding them though. "Can you imagine the look on her face? She'd give you a serious talking to, jabbing a finger at you and everything."

"She would, wouldn't she?" He laughs along with her, then assures her that Sheila Bennett isn't enough of a deterrent for a centuries-old vampire like himself. "I've been around for over three hundred years, Bon. I think I can take her."

And she decides that yeah, maybe practicing her magic around him wouldn't be so bad after all. Especially if he isn't afraid of Grams - because most people in town are. "I mean it's not like I could really hurt you anyway, you're kind of an immovable force on that front."

The smile Stefan gives her is warm enough, soft enough, that she almost forgets how to breathe. "Well. I wouldn't say that, exactly. I'm moved by you just fine."

She almost wants to make some sort of witty remark to downplay the sweetness of his, but she can't think of anything particularly clever. Evening birdsong sounds in the night, the low sound of mourning doves calling to each other before the sky opens up with rain.

He kisses her cheek and then makes his slow retreat towards the window.  They've done this song and dance for weeks now, but it's as he's leaning against her windowsill putting his shoes on that she realizes just how much she doesn't want him to go. Her room's too quiet, the house too still, and she enjoys his company.

"Wait. Could you…could you stay?" She asks, words coming out in a rush before he can leave. She doesn't want him to leave.

His answering smile is warm and sweet when he dips his head low to hers, and the ghost of his breath kisses her lips when he says, "Yeah, Bon, I think I can do that. But just until you fall asleep."

They both agree that him staying after that would be a little too Twilight-like for her, and he assures her that he'll leave the minute she's out cold to avoid any unfortunate similarities. That suits her just fine. The room's cool with the window open, but nestling under the covers and curling up against Stefan keeps her warm.

She falls asleep some time later with her head against his chest and dreams of a summer afternoon spent drinking sweet tea and reading a book out on the porch. He joins her to tell her dinner's almost ready, an arm slung around her as he reads over her shoulder for a few minutes. Then kisses her hair. Her forehead. Her nose. Both of her cheeks. And then finally, her lips. By the time she awakes several hours later, the rain's quieted and she wonders if he conjured up the dream for her or if it was her own subconscious mind. The phantom taste of him still lingers on her lips and on her tongue as she decides maybe it's both.

...And okay, fine, maybe she doesn't mind as much as she thought she would.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm living for this soft af ship, Hozier's new album, and watching Siren on Freeform. Can y'all tell? ;)
> 
> If you've got any ideas/prompts you want filled within this 'verse, pls feel free to @ me on Twitter.


	2. You Do It Naturally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonnie gives this let's-practice-magic-shit thing a go, and Stefan's proud of her progress. He might also be flirting with her a lil, but it's too early in the morning for that ish and she is *not* caffeinated enough to think about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Think I'll do one more one-shot before getting to Meen's request of ripper!Stefan. ;)
> 
> Watch out for more fluffy updates, y'all. They're coming.

Their first practice session is out by the lake near her home, early morning mist rising off the calm water’s surface. Birdsong filters through the trees as the sunrise reflects off the lake in a myriad of warm pastel colors. Though the area is mobbed with people in the summer months, it’s still and quiet now. Calm. And just the sort of thing she needs to clear her mind after the sort of week she’s had.

Eyes closed to the world around her as she sits on a picnic blanket, Bonnie takes a deep breath in through her nose and holds it for three or four beats. Like all those meditation practices want you to do before going on about love and the power of manifestation and some other stuff she’s never really listened to. Then she exhales through her mouth and feels some of the tension leave her shoulders, her neck. Huh. Maybe those deep breathing exercises are onto something after all.

“Feeling any better?” Stefan asks from his spot beside her. He’s been patient and gentle, encouraging her to unwind first, relax, before they really get started.

“Yeah, actually.” She keeps her eyes closed and just focuses on her breathing and nothing else for a few more minutes. Before long, the tension eases from what feels like every muscle in her body. But she still does some stretches just for good measure. By the time she meets Stefan’s gaze, he’s looking at her with that soft, dimpled smile on his too-pretty face.

“What?” Now she’s smiling too, but feeling a lil self-conscious.

He shakes his head and offers a hand to help her up. She takes it and decides not to dwell too long on the look in his eyes. It’s too early in the morning for all that ish and she has not had enough caffeine to even _begin_ to try and process any of it.

So she just…doesn’t. Goes with the flow instead. They’re stood close together for a couple of heartbeats, close enough that she can feel Stefan’s body heat. Or she could if he wasn’t, y’know, an undead creature of the night who doesn’t actually emanate any body heat. Whatever, it’s the thought that counts.

“Hey, vampire boy. While I appreciate all the attention, you _might_ wanna back up a lil bit.” There’s a smile in her voice now and he raises an eyebrow in challenge.

“And if I don’t?” He’s using a very _what’re-you-gonna-do-about-it_ tone that could be considered kinda flirty, but it’s still too early yet to think about any of that. The cool thing about magic, though? Is that she doesn’t have to think, just feel.

“Well, I suppose you did wanna be moved…” And she can feel the magic stirring in her blood, in her bones, as she focuses on him. On what she’s feeling right now, right here, with him.

She channels those emotions into a sudden, sharp gust of wind. Pride runs through her when the breeze knocks him back several feet. “I just didn’t think you meant it so literally.”

“Maybe I meant it in a lot of different ways. But yeah, we can focus on the literal for right now. You're a natural at it too.” He’s got a pleased smile on his face as he says it, like he’s proud of her too.

“So little Bennett witch, what else can you do?”

Honestly? She’s got no damned clue, not when it comes to this. She can light candles with a single thought or accidentally set the curtains ablaze if she says a phrase wrong in Latin. Can turn on her computer from the other side of the room or bring about a neighborhood-wide power outage. But with people….with people, it’s different. Manipulating the elements, channeling electricity, summoning some creepy long-dead spirits? All of that, she can do. It’s using magic on other people she’s unsure of.

But if there’s one thing she’s sure of, it’s that she wants to keep learning. With Stefan there to help her, guide her, and encourage her on. Someone's gotta do it, and at least vampire boy doesn't seem to mind. And maybe...maybe (though she sure as fuck won't admit it to him) she doesn't really mind either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking of doing a Halloween-themed drabble next, because why the heck not? Possibly with a masquerade ball just for added funsies. Ooh, or a murder mystery party game - *that* could be seriously entertaining.


	3. Move me, baby, like you've nothin' left to prove

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline decides to throw a murder mystery ball for this year's big Halloween-themed bash. And it goes great, at first: Bonnie and Stefan run lines the week before, share kisses ~for practice~, and have a grand old time pretending to get fake engaged at the ball.
> 
> Then all hell breaks loose when the other Salvatore brother shows up and ruins the party with actual murder.
> 
> It's just rude, honestly. Like how dare he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or, the one where Stefonnie is part of a murder mystery ball where they think they know the rules. But then the game changes when Damon shows up and all hell breaks loose.
> 
> And shit...where the fuck's Elena?
> 
> Oh, no. Oh, this is bad. This is very, very bad...
> 
> Features two tumblr prompts, including: "I brought the snacks. Who we murdering tonight?" and, "Oh, sure. Blame the murderer. Y'all suck."

* * *

It’s a gray Tuesday morning when Bonnie trudges into homeroom with a coffee in hand, more than ready to sleep away her first couple classes of the day. But she’s no such luck apparently, as Caroline slides into the seat beside her and immediately launches into her ideas for this year’s Halloween party.

“It’s gonna be the best theme this shitty-ass school’s ever seen, I’m telling you, Bon.” Care insists, somehow more energized in the morning than Bonnie thinks should be humanly possible. “I’m quite proud of myself, really.”

Bonnie sinks her head onto the desk, face hidden in front of crossed arms when she mutters, “Lemme guess, it got something to do with zombies?”

“No, silly! Although those _are_ on trend this year…” Though Bonnie can’t see her expression from here, she’s almost sure Care’s biting her lip in thought and jotting that down for later.

“Mm, of course they are. So is that the big theme, because I’m trying to catch up on a nap here-” She’s got one working braincell right now and the lack of sleep is seriously impeding its function. That and the caffeinated high from her latte hasn’t hit just yet, so she’s still absolutely bloody miserable.

“Why, Stefan keep you up late last night?” The euphemism there’s clear as day, and Bonnie jerks her head up so fast the motion makes her dizzy.

“ _What?”_ Heart beating too hard against her rib cage, she insists, “No, of course not! Why, did he say anything?”

Caroline just laughs aloud at the blush creeping into Bonnie’s cheeks and says, “Not a damned thing, babe, but it looks like you’ve got it just as bad as he does.”

Bonnie narrows her eyes at Care and whispers, “You wanna be on the receiving end of that spell I’ve been practicing lately? Gives the target a wicked nose bleed, sometimes doesn’t stop for days.”

And Care just narrows her eyes right back and says, “You wouldn’t. This shirt is designer.”

“Try me, sweetie.” Bonnie challenges, grinning when Caroline finally backs down. She takes a long sip of her latte and then offers, “Alright, alright, let’s hear it then. But I swear to God, if you even so much as _mention_ the word Salvatore _…”_

“Yeah, yeah, Bonnie’s a bad bitch who can do magic or some shit. We get it.” But Care’s smiling, seemingly proud that Bonnie’s stood up to her. Truth be told, Bonnie’s kinda proud of herself too.

So it’s with that excruciating little interlude into Bonnie’s love life that brings Caroline to finally reveal her grand plan for the school’s annual Halloween party: a murder mystery ball.

* * *

 They get their assigned roles a week before the big event, and Stefan lets out a dramatic groan as he throws himself down onto her bed late that afternoon. “I am so not looking forward to this.”

“Why? It’s not like you’re the murderer.”

He gives her a flat look and she laughs, throws a pillow at him. “Oh c’mon Stef, can we take one day out of the school year to _not_ be a couple of emo fucks?”

“Why Bonnie Bennett, did you just say fuck?” He asks around a smile as he catches the pillow with one hand. “I am absolutely scandalized, young lady.”

He uses the other to prop himself up by the elbow, their heads close together as he leans towards her and she, him. Like they’re two kids at a sleepover, huddled close together beneath the warmth of a blanket as the adults hover by the open door.

“I might’ve.” She responds around a smile of her own, voice pitched low and soft. “And Care thinks you’re a horrible influence by the way, just so you know.”

He sets the pillow down and reaches for her, touch as gentle as the rain outside as his fingers ghost down her cheek. “Maybe I intend to be, little Bennett witch.” His lips curve around a teasing smirk as he asks, “And on that note, y’think we should run our lines for next week?”

“And maybe I like it.” She shoots back, and then adds, “You’re only asking because a Stefan Salvadore proposes to Bonnie McCollough before someone kills the lights and the rich, gorgeous heiress.”

“She couldn’t have been even a little bit subtle with this shit, could she?” Stefan bites his lip to try and keep from laughing at Care’s antics and ends up failing miserably.

“No, apparently fuckin’ not.” And she dissolves into a fit of laughter with him, covering her mouth with her hand to try and stifle the worst of her giggles.

He pulls her hand away and presses a lingering kiss to the back of her palm, gaze smoldering on hers when he asks, “Well then, Bonnie McCollough, may I kiss you now?”

She puts on an absolutely horrid Irish accent to go with the stereotypical surname and says, “Think I’d just despair if ya didn’t, vampire boy.”

It should be said that Bonnie Bennett has totally kissed people before - and they’d been fine, as first kisses go. They’d been fine if a bit unimpressive, to the point where she’d actually started wondering what the point even was.

Her first kiss with Stefan starts off much the same way - it’s soft and sweet and she can practically feel him smiling against her lips like the dork he is as he cradles her face in his hands. It’s nice and she isn’t complaining, not really.

And then the first kiss melts into a second, and a third, and _maaybe_ she bites his bottom lip to make things a bit more interesting, okay? And he makes this _noise_ low in his throat that warms her all the way through, mouth opening against hers like now _he’s inviting her in_ and it’s good, it’s _great_ , she feels like she could drown in this feeling, but-

“Wait, wait, was that- was that okay, because-” Bonnie asks as she pulls away, breath coming in hard as she rests her forehead against his. She’d really been trying for complete sentences there, but at this point she’s lucky she even remembers her own name.

“Bon, that was great, but I don’t-” Stefan smiles, breathing just as quick and murmuring that maybe they should be careful about the biting.

“Did I…did I hurt you?” She looks him over for any blood but can’t find any. He just laughs, loud and full, and flashes her a wide, white smile.

The fangs that’re normally sheathed inside his canines are fully visible now, gleaming in the low light of the afternoon.

Oh. _Oh._ Realization dawns on her about the biting - it wasn’t that she’d hurt him, it was that he’d _liked it_.

“It doesn’t take much, does it?” She may or may not be smirking, proud of herself.

Stefan hides his face in one of her pillows and groans, then says, “Around you? Apparently not. Just…gimme a minute.”

When he drops the pillow and reaches for her again a few minutes later, she’s relieved to see that his eyes are still okay - they’re the soft green of a seventeen year old boy and not the deep, inky black of his inner centuries old immortal who’d totally eat her for lunch.

So that’s cool, anyway.

“You wanna try again?” Bonnie asks when they’re laying down on her bed together, languid and comfortable. Her heartbeat isn’t racing a mile a minute like it’s going to burst out of her chest anymore, and his, well-

She puts a hand to his heart and laughs when she remembers he doesn’t have a pulse. It’s just so freakin’ _weird_ sometimes, how easily she can almost forget that he’s a vampire.

“I do, yeah. If you don’t mind the uh-” Stefan gestures vaguely to his features, features that look normal now but will look creepy-as-fuck if he’s to change in the middle of their make-out session.

And she grins and says, “I kinda love your face, so I mean, nah, I don’t mind.”

Her eyes widen when she realizes what she’s just said. Oh no. Oh, fuck. She’s quick to try and take it back, clarify that she didn’t mean _she loves it_ loves it, but he doesn’t give her the chance.

Because this smooth fucker just looks at her, smiles and says, “Well that’s good, ‘cuz maybe I kinda love yours too.”

So the kissing continues. And continues. And continues. Until she’s dizzy and he pulls away, grinning and laughing and breathless.

And she’s very good about _not_ biting him again - okay, whatever, _maybe_ she bites him one last time but it’s hours later and he doesn’t suddenly morph into Dracula before he heads out her window, so she’s safe.

She decides pretending to be his fake fiancée at this stupid murder mystery ball is going to be kind of awesome.

* * *

Pretending to be Stefan Salvatore’s fake fiancée at this stupid murder mystery ball _is_ , in fact, kind of awesome. Care had pulled out all the stops for this one - the rented ballroom is absolutely exquisite, the lavish decorations and crystalline chandeliers really cement the vintage, early 1900s feel, and the live flowers are as lovely as the band. It feels like walking through a dream.

Oh, and someone totally spiked the punch. That...that probably helps with the dream-like feel, actually.

“So I brought snacks,” Matt says once they're settled in at the table, grinning as he reaches into his bag and spills all the goodies out onto the table. He’s more or less drunk by now, poor country-boy genes leaving his cheeks red and flushed. “Who we murdering tonight?”

Tyler looks over the small mountain of sweets and rages, "Hey, someone already took all the Chips Ahoy! Man, what the fuck? I wanted those!"

He's _definitely_ drunk - he hasn't gotten so upset about stolen cookies since they were in third grade and she ate his cookies off his lunch tray.

Then, he narrows his eyes at Stefan and says, "It you, man? I bet it was you."

“Oh, sure. Blame the murderer."

Everyone laughs and Stefan mutters "y’all suck" around a small smile before he reaches for a package of Oreos. For the record, she stole all the Chips Ahoy for herself earlier - Matt had offered before the party started and she'd happily hoarded them away in her bag.

And now Matt probably just thinks her boy's talking about the murder mystery and not their real, actual lives. Oh, how she sometimes wishes she could be as blissfully oblivious and human again. Tyler doesn't say another word as he looks out the huge ballroom windows and stares up at the moon hanging low in the sky.

But Bonnie elbows Stefan hard under the table and whisper-hisses, "Use some tact, would ya?" anyway. He winks her way and continues right on angsting like the three-hundred-year-old emo fuck he is. So much for not being a couple of brooding nerds tonight then, because here they are. 

“Am I a terrifying monster? Yes. But do I have feelings? _Also yes_.”

Matt looks more than a little amused at this point, and probably figures Stefan’s being his weird, overdramatic emo self as usual. Tyler, for his part, just clenches his jaw and stalks off towards the punch bowl, muttering, "Whatever, jackass. It wasn't that deep" as he goes.

“Hey, sorry man," Matt says as he rips opens a bag of chips. "Didn’t know you’d take it so hard.” They shake hands across the table as a truce of sorts, and Matt props his feet up on the empty chair beside him as he lounges in his seat. “Feel free to take another bag for the road, guys. I don’t need ‘em.”

“Ooh, can I have some too? I promised Damon I’d bring him something.”

Bonnie rolls her eyes. Up until this point, she’d almost forgotten that Elena’s been sitting with all of them. It’d been Caroline’s doing, surely. The blonde had wanted them to kiss and make up so to speak, but Bonnie isn’t in the mood. Matt excuses himself to go find Tyler, see if he wants to dance with a couple of girls from the cheerleading team, leaving the three of them alone together.

“I wish he was here, he really would’ve loved this.”

“I’m sure he would have,” Stefan says from across the table as he looks to Bonnie with an expression that says _please, don’t shoot the messenger._

She isn’t mad at Stefan though, and she also doesn’t let Elena’s pouting get to her; she can whine about missing Damon all she wants, but he’s banned from school grounds for a reason.

“I know, but he’s dangerous, Elena,” Bonnie says for the zillionth time before taking a healthy sip of her punch. It’s definitely spiked alright - and it’s _good_. (Which is all the better, because they’ve got until midnight before the mystery killer’s revealed in true dramatic, Caroline Forbes flair.)

Not that the blonde sitting beside her isn’t equally as dangerous as his older brother, of course. Because he totally is, he's just far better at controlling it.

With the others gone in search of drinks, Elena points out about as much in a low whisper like that'll win her the argument. And Stefan just smiles and says gently, “Yes, but I’m actually on my best behavior. At least-”

He shoots Bonnie a look that belongs in her bedroom, complete with a locked door and candles burning low on the wick, and she gives him a wicked grin as he finishes, “For now, anyway. Bonnie made me promise.”

Indeed she had. Though they haven’t really gotten up to anything south of kissing, not yet. They’ve agreed to take their time, not rush anything that way.

And Elena, for her part, just looks like she’s going to be sick at the thought.

* * *

An hour later, Stefan and Bonnie follow their lines and he proposes to her out on the dancefloor amidst a sea of flowing ballgowns and dazzling evening wear as the band serenades them. And it really is quite romantic actually, with the way the twinkling lights from overhead bring out the deep blonde in Stefan’s hair and the flecks of dark green in his eyes.

He’s got a soft, adoring look on his face as he vows to stay by her side for as long as she’ll have him. Though he doesn't get down on one knee, the whole thing really is rather sweet.

And she puts on the same terrible Irish accent from a week earlier and says, “Then I guess you’re stuck with me a hell of a long time, huh?”

He nearly beams at her, breaking character just a lil (because he’s supposed to be rich and world-weary and _brooding_ , obviously), before he slips the ring on her finger. It fits on her third finger as though it belongs there, as though it was always meant to be hers, its single brilliant gemstone gleaming in the low light of the ballroom.

“I guess so then-” And he leans in close to whisper, “Miss Bonnie Bennett” around a smile instead of the silly name Care had given her for their performance tonight.

He’s just about to lean in to kiss her, and she’s leaning in to meet him halfway, when a voice from somewhere behind cuts in and ruins the moment.

Ugh, it’s probably Tyler come to be a dick instead of just enjoying the free food and spiked drinks.

“Oh, isn’t that sweet, brother. Didn’t know you were the marrying kind.” A lone round of applause echoes around them and Bonnie’s stomach drops as she turns towards the sound.

She knows that voice. And it definitely isn’t Tyler's. No, it’s much worse. But she turns towards it anyway, panic gripping her heart when her gaze meets Damon’s own.

He’s wearing period attire that looks like it was made for him - and she realizes now that it probably was. Hell, he might've even kept it all these years just for an occasion like this. It wouldn't surprise her at all, really; Damon likes doing things for the drama, the suspense, the horror.

And most of all, he likes death. He likes making a performance of it, a spectacle. He likes making it into a show.

He isn’t here to hang out and make nice. And this isn’t in the script, not by a long shot. She’d know too - she and Care had read the damned thing like eighty-seven times in the last two weeks to make sure it was perfect.

Now, Stefan holds tight to her and she squeezes his hand, afraid. But she doesn’t show it - not in front of his brother, anyway. She won’t give Damon the satisfaction of knowing he’s spooked her.

He gives them both a wide, white grin and bares his fangs. Then the tech crew kills the lights like the script calls for and a scream echoes off the walls in the darkness.

And she knows that scream - it isn’t Caroline’s at all. It’s too high-pitched, too raw, too _real_. It’s the same scream from when the three of them were little and learning how to swim at the neighborhood pool and Jeremy pushed them all into the deep end. The same scream from when they’d pile onto Care’s couch in seventh grade and watch Friday the 13th when her mom wasn’t home to stop them. It’s the same scream from when they’d all stood ‘round two freshly dug graves on a gray day last year and buried John and Isobel in the ground.

It’s Elena screaming. And screaming. And screaming. It seems to go on forever and ever, and then all too quickly it’s over. The lights come back on. The crowd is nervous, panicky. Caroline runs down the dramatic, flowing marble staircase and rushes to calm the frightened crowd. But her pastel pink ballgown is spattered in blood, her tiara’s crooked atop her head of curls, and she looks absolutely terrified.

Giving crowd control over to Matt and Jer, she rushes towards Bonnie and Stefan and asks all in one breath, “ _Whereisshe_?”

She doesn't have to specify who.

Bonnie’s quick to tell her that Damon got in somehow, and Stefan squeezes Bon’s shaking hand before he offers to go look for him. He says it in a voice that says Damon most likely won’t be coming back from the ordeal in one piece.

Once he’s gone, a high-pitched electric hum crackles over the speakers and a low, smooth voice fills the ballroom, “Ladies and gentleman, it looks like we have a true murder mystery on our hands tonight! Look around, look around, friends. Who exactly is missing amongst you, and who could the killer be?”

Damon’s voice seems to reverberate through her very skull when he laughs and laughs and teases the audience over the PA system, vowing in a sickly-sweet voice, “You’ve got until the stroke of midnight to find out, sweethearts, before one of _you_ could be next!”

Chaos ensues. Panic breaks out. All the earlier extravagance and splendor of the evening is gone, replaced by a lingering sense of dread and cold, hard fear. Students and chaperones alike are running, frantic, trying to find an exit or a place to escape, to hide. A girl about Bonnie's age is pacing in circles, calling her parents and sobbing that she’s sorry, she shouldn’t have gone out, she should’ve just stayed home, and now she’s _scared_. There’s no way out of here, at least not that Bonnie can see, and no way in from the outside either.

So they’re trapped here. But not if she can help it, dammit. She's not going to die here, and neither are her friends. If she can help it, no one here's going to die tonight except for Damon Salvatore.

With shaking hands and an idea in mind, Bonnie texts Care,  _kill the lights. Witchy's got a fuckin' plan._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured this was a nice segue into ripper!Stefan time as Meen requested. I can promise Damon won't die in the next chapter but uh...he might come kinda close ;) oops? #sorrynotsorryyy


End file.
